


Wide Awake

by silver_drip



Series: Infinity Earth [6]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 22:47:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19029502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silver_drip/pseuds/silver_drip
Summary: Steve is found.





	Wide Awake

Peggy Carter was breathless as she put on her coat. Her mind was buzzing and she nearly forgot to take her Alzheimer’s inhaler as she grabbed her keys. Her hands were shaking. Luckily she didn’t need to put the keys in the ignition to start her car. With a barely perceptible hum, she was on the road.

She drove in a daze. Part of her didn’t believe it—didn’t believe that Howard had found Steve after all this time. Would he even recognize her? She had aged so much, seen so many things that weighed on her soul. What if he thought she was a ghost? More often than not she felt like one, trapped someplace between living and dead. She had put all her life into SHIELD, but was no longer part of it. Without SHIELD defining her, she didn’t know who she was or even if she liked herself. She had held on so tightly to a memory that she never lived in the present.

She thought back to WWII and how everything was different now. Even in her wildest dreams she would not have been able to imagine how the world was now. She hadn’t even imagined that she’d make it to her 90th birthday. By all rights she should be stooped in a wheelchair as her grandmother had been in her 70s. That wasn’t how the medical world was anymore though. Life expectancy was up to 103 years for women in first-world countries.

Before she realized it, she was at the New York branch of SHIELD. The building looked dull compared to when she was last there. It no longer felt like a beacon of hope. She wondered how much of that was due to defunding and how much was due to her being jaded.

After three security checkpoints she was nearly running. She burst into the room and was hit by a heatwave. Her eyes were immediately drawn to a block of ice, her love just barely sticking out. His eyes were closed and he looked peaceful.

“I did it, Peggy.” She glanced at Howard. She hadn’t seen him smile so earnestly in what felt like a lifetime. “I did it.”

*

Steve shuddered in his sleep, swiftly coming into self-awareness. The bed beneath him was oddly soft and his pillow didn’t smell right. He opened his eyes. The lighting was wrong. Instead of a soft yellow glow, the bulbs let off pristine white.

“Hey, good morning,” a voice to his left said. He was blond, had a hearing-aid, and was holding a cup of coffee like his life depended on it. “Actually, it’s closer to midnight.” He sipped at his coffee. “I didn’t want to be the one to break it to you.” He sighed. Steve’s stomach twisted into knots, his last memories were tugging at him, trying to come to the surface, but not quite getting there. “Just my luck, I guess. So, uhm, hey Captain Rogers. I’m supposed to break it to you slowly, but if it was me I’d rather just get it over with,” he grumbled.

“Just tell me what it is,” he demanded, losing his patience.

The other man smiled bashfully. “Welcome to the 21st century. Surprise!”

*

Steve’s skin itched. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a hot shower. He hadn’t exactly reacted well to the news Clint Barton so artfully told him. He’d thought it was a German ploy and had burst out of the room, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by someone he knew.

Howard Stark, but not as he remembered him. His hair was white, fine lines in his skin, and his cheeks were sunken in. His brown eyes were just as bright as ever though.

Steve had backed away from him, not knowing what to say or do. Howard had just given him an indulgent smile and put a hand on his shoulder. He’d promised Steve that he’d tell him everything, but first the doctors needed to make sure he was alright.

More than poking and prodding, the doctors asked him questions, made him do basic arithmetic and brain teasers. He felt like they were handling him with kid gloves, which was probably for the best. He’d lost so much time, so many goodbyes that he could now only make to headstones.

There was one shining light though. Peggy was still alive. He hadn’t seen her yet. He was worried, though. What if she hated him? What if she was angry that he’d missed their date? But that couldn’t be right. Peggy was reasonable—or at least she had been when he knew her. How could she have not changed in this brave new world?

He had to stow that thought. Even now he was clutching onto the strings of the past.

Steve dried himself off and put on the clothes they had provided him. The waistline of the khakis was awkwardly low and made him feel indecent. But Howard and Clint’s pants had been just as low, so it must be the new standard.

He brushed his hair and shaved his stubble. He recognized himself, but felt odd in his own skin, like when he was first given the serum. He’d thought his world had really changed then, but he had been the only one to change back then. Now, everyone else had changed and he’d been left behind.

Outside of the locker-room he saw Clint talking to a redheaded woman in hushed voices. When she saw Steve, she gave Clint a nod before leaving.

“Your friend?” Steve asked, feeling awkward for interrupting their conversation.

“One of SHIELD’s best agents and my usual partner on the field, Natasha Romanoff.” Clint shot him a grin. “Don’t underestimate her. She’ll kick your ass ten ways from Tuesday.”

Steve nodded, believing him. He’d only glanced it, but there had definitely been something sharp in her eyes.

Steve had a million and one questions, but didn’t even know where to start. He didn’t get a chance to speak though. Clint was going on about his dog, Lucky, and how he wished SHIELD would let him bring his dog to work. “He’s my emotional support pizza eater.”

The room he was taken to was bland and the chairs were uncomfortable. He was glad Clint stayed with him. His constant chatter kept Steve from sinking into his own thoughts.

Five minutes later a black man with an eye-patch and stern disposition walked in. “Captain Rogers. I’m Director Fury.” He offered his hand and Steve stood to shake it. “The world has changed quite a bit since you went in the ice, Captain. My agents are putting together a packet with the main events.”

“Thank you, sir.” Steve swallowed. “I’d—If it’s possible, I’d like to see Peggy Carter.”

Fury nodded while sitting down. Steve followed suit. “We have to go through a few things before your reunion.” At once, Steve felt both annoyance and relief. He wanted to see Peggy, but dreaded seeing the representation of all the years he lost. “The biggest change,” Fury’s lips thinned out before he spoke again, “the US no longer exists.”

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't forgotten you, my dears ;) I've just been working on my Dragon Tony/Loki Helason story and an original work.


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